Oilpatch billionaire and chairman of Canadian Natural Resources N. Murray Edwards among several Alberta power-brokers involved

Billionaire Murray Edwards, right, co-owner of the Calgary Flames and a major Imperial Metals shareholder, walks with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman during NHL collective bargaining talks in Toronto in October 2012. Edwards helped organize a fundraiser in Calgary for B.C. Premier Christy Clark in January 2013, when most polls predicted the New Democrats would win the next provincial election.

Edwards, an oilpatch billionaire and chairman of Canadian Natural Resources, was among several Alberta power-brokers involved in the fundraiser, reportedly held to back the continuation of Clark’s “free-enterprise government.” According to polls at the time, the B.C. New Democrats were poised to win the May 13 election.

The private affair came just three months after Clark, in an address to the University of Calgary’s school of public policy in October 2012, hailed Edwards as a “great Calgarian” and credited him with helping to boost B.C.’s economic development.

“Mining is an area where we have set some pretty ambitious targets. We’re planning to build 17 new and expanded mines by 2015. Mining revenues have grown by 20 per cent to $8.6 billion since we introduced our Jobs Plan last year, and we’ve done it with the highest standard of sustainable mining in the world,” Clark said in the October 2012 address.

“A significant part of our progress in British Columbia comes from people like Murray Edwards, it comes from investors and people who are located right here in Calgary.”

Edwards, Canada’s 18th richest person with a net worth of about $2.2 billion according to Forbes, is linked to six corporations that have donated a total of $436,227 in campaign contributions to the B.C. Liberal party over the past nine years, according to Elections B.C.

That includes $153,480 from Canadian Natural Resources, where he is chairman, as well as $131,390 from Imperial Metals, which owns both Red Chris, a $500-million copper-gold mine under construction, and the Mount Polley mine, where a tailings dam collapse this week has led to a water ban and potential contamination of Quesnel Lake and Quesnel River. Edwards owns, directly and indirectly, 36 per cent of Imperial Metals shares.

Edwards is also linked to Ensign Drilling, which donated $15,000 to the B.C. Liberals, as well as Edco Capital Corp. ($5,000); Penn West Petroleum ($65,835); Resorts of the Canadian Rockies ($23,522); and Mount Polley Mining ($46,720).

About 75 corporations have given $100,000 or more to the Liberals over the past nine years, but the donations linked to Edwards are just a fraction of the amount given by the Liberals’ most generous donors, such as Teck ($1.7 million), New Car Dealers ($822,000) or Encana ($791,000).

Ben Chin, executive director of communications with the B.C. premier’s office, said Clark first met Edwards two years ago after she became premier and he helped her make connections in Calgary.

He said he didn’t believe Clark had spoken with Edwards in the past three days, following the tailings dam collapse, but had been slated to meet with company CEO Brian Kynoch after she arrived in Likely Thursday.

That meeting didn’t happen, but the premier and Mines Minister Bill Bennett have made it clear that the company is fully responsible for the cleanup as well as fines or penalties, Chin said.

Story Tools

Billionaire Murray Edwards, right, co-owner of the Calgary Flames and a major Imperial Metals shareholder, walks with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman during NHL collective bargaining talks in Toronto in October 2012. Edwards helped organize a fundraiser in Calgary for B.C. Premier Christy Clark in January 2013, when most polls predicted the New Democrats would win the next provincial election.

We encourage all readers to share their views on our articles and blog posts. We are committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion, so we ask you to avoid personal attacks, and please keep your comments relevant and respectful. If you encounter a comment that is abusive, click the "X" in the upper right corner of the comment box to report spam or abuse. We are using Facebook commenting. Visit our FAQ page for more information.

Almost Done!

Postmedia wants to improve your reading experience as well as share the best deals and promotions from our advertisers with you. The information below will be used to optimize the content and make ads across the network more relevant to you. You can always change the information you share with us by editing your profile.

By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Postmedia to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.

Postmedia wants to improve your reading experience as well as share the best deals and promotions from our advertisers with you. The information below will be used to optimize the content and make ads across the network more relevant to you. You can always change the information you share with us by editing your profile.

By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Postmedia to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.